The second annual April Pools Day event at Rainier Beach Pool was a success! Thank you to the 150+ visitors who came to the pool and helped Seattle Parks and Recreation spread the word about water safety.

Later this summer, Green Lake Community Center/Evans Pool will be hosting low-cost life jacket sales on June 20, July 18 and Aug. 15. More details to come!

Seattle Parks and Recreation anticipates celebrating the opening of the Rainier Beach Community Center and Pool in late September 2013. The contractor, CE&C, Inc., is making great progress on the new 46,500-square-foot facility. Rainier Beach Community Center and Pool is located at 8825 Rainier Ave. S.

Construction at Rainier Beach Community Center is expected to be complete in September 2013.

During the design process in 2009 -2010, Parks worked with the neighborhood to develop the best plan for the community. The new facility will include a gym, a large dividable multipurpose room, kitchen, teen rooms, a computer lab, an arts & crafts room, a child care facility, a recreational pool with waterslide and lazy river, and a lap pool with an additional space for birthday parties.

The project team, Seattle Parks and Recreation, ARC Architects and Counsilman Hunsaker aquatic engineers, has set sustainable design goals with a focus on reducing energy and water use. This team is working to achieve a LEED Gold certification for the building.

“The Rainier Beach Community Center and Pool plays an important role in this community,” said Christopher Williams, Acting Superintendent. “This $25 million investment in this neighborhood is a core element of the Neighborhood Plan, and will provide recreation programs in collaboration with community organizations.”

The new pool at Rainier Beach will have a lap pool, lazy river and slide.

Parks will own and operate the community center and pool. Parks is in the process of contracting with six community organizations to enhance and expand the services already provided by Parks. This new partnership model will help Parks meet many of the goals and priorities outlined in the Rainier Beach Neighborhood Plan Update developed by the community, the Department of Neighborhoods and Department of Planning and Development.

Seattle artists Roy McMakin and Jeffry Mitchell will create artwork for the center.

During the closure, Seattle Parks relocated some community center programming, such as the Late Night Program and child care, to other Parks and school district facilities. Seattle Parks thanks the community for their patience during construction and looks forward to celebrating the completion of the project.